


Body Swap/Body Switching

by elwon



Series: JayDick Flash Fic [6]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Body Swap, Kissing, M/M, body switching, jaydick_flashfic: Body Swap/Body Switching, time travel or universe hopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 16:03:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18502324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elwon/pseuds/elwon
Summary: A run in with a meta leads to Jason and Dick being body swapped, and left in a very familiar situation... Jason is not impressed with this turn of events.





	Body Swap/Body Switching

Jason’s still stewing over his latest big blow out a week ago with Bruce. (It was bad, _really bad_. The only reason they hadn’t come to actual physical blows is that Alfred had put the tea tray down sharply enough to cause a crashing sound; then he’d put his hands on Jason’s shoulders, guiding him upstairs to the kitchen, away from the situation without a word. Jason thinks things might actually be done between them this time. He just doesn’t have the energy to deal with Bruce anymore, and isn’t inclined to put up with the constant struggle ever again.) In fact the only thing that’s made Jason smile in the last week is the events unfolding in front of him. 

He’s leaning casually against a brick chimney watching Dick fight with a meta with so far unrevealed powers. Dick’s playing with him, dodging and swerving out of reach at the last second, putting on a show for Jason, like the consummate performer he still is. 

“Got to do better than that!” Dick laughs, kicking the meta in the literal ass. The meta stumbles but recovers, twisting around to grab at Dick’s top and slam him into the wall next to Jason. Jason moves, but before he can do anything other than side step, the meta yells, slamming his palms into both their chests.

“GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM, ROBIN.” The man screams, clearly enraged, and a little deranged. Just another villain in Gotham, really. But then there’s a glowing from his palms, and the light grows, getting brighter and brighter until Jason can only see white. 

And just as suddenly as the light arrived, it’s gone, leaving Jason to blink away the afterimage from his eyes. He reaches up to rub at his face, but his hands hit skin instead of his helmet. Which can’t be right? He was wearing his helmet, he knows he was... But his gloved hands are rubbing at the skin of his face, up against the polymer of his domino. Sighing, Jason pulls his hands away and stares down at his gloves. They aren’t the right colour either. His gloves have always been (that distinctive green) black. Not this light, bright blue. A blue that reminds him of the disco inspired first version of Dick’s Nightwing suit. 

He looks down at his chest, and yup, he’s dressed in the disco Nightwing suit. It’s not the first time he’s worn the Nightwing suit, although he usually does his best to pretend that the six months he spent wearing the blue and black in New York never happened. Being turned into a tentacle monster for however brief a time is something he tries not to dwell on. So why is he dressed as Discowing? Jason finally looks up and away from the two-toned blue suit covering him and up into the Gotham night, realising that he’s alone.

He takes a deep breath, and there’s a tang in the air that’s just subtly wrong, meaning that he’s universe hopped. Well, that answers the question to the meta’s powers, but not where the hell Dick’s got to. Or why Jason’s wearing this stupid suit. There’s not even a zip to pull up so he’s not showing off any cleavage. _Ugh_. Jason folds the collar down so it’s not blocking his peripheral vision, taking a closer look at his surroundings. 

He knows this rooftop, at least. It’s three over from Park Row. Now that’s he’s concentrating, there’s no comm. unit in his ear, and the best way to make contact with the Bats is by starting a commotion in Crime Alley. As he moves, he has a strange sense of déjà-vu. All the adverts and billboards are familiar in a way that he can’t quite put his finger on. It takes no time at all to get to Park Row, and Jason drops down to street level when he sees the Batmobile parked there. 

A small figure in red and black is kneeling by the wheels of Bruce’s car, and Jason realises why everything is so familiar, why the pervasive sense of déjà-vu is so strong. He’s lived this before. The kneeling figure stands as Jason walks closer, dropping the tire iron and looking up at him, mouthing ‘Me?’

“Dickie, that you?” Jason says to the twelve year old version of himself in front of him.

“Jason?” Dick says, looking incredibly relieved. “Oh thank god.”

“Yeah...” Jason stares at the car, and makes a decision without even really realising it. “We should get out of here before the Bat comes back.”

“Oh yeah, somehow I don’t think he’ll take to kindly to me stealing his wheels...” Dick laughs nervously. “And we’re probably not on speaking terms yet so...”

Jason says nothing, scooping Dick up into his arms and shooting a grapple line up to the next roof. He doesn’t set Dick down until their several blocks away. “So, we body swapped, I guess.”

“Yeah!” Dick says with all the enthusiasm that a twelve year old Jason can muster. “You know, I don’t get what everyone complains about? That Nightwing suit wasn’t so bad!” Jason gives him a flat look. “Well, apart from the collar, I guess?”

“The collar is a fucking nightmare. Why did you think it was a good idea?” Jason huffs, staring out over the city.

“Uh...” Dick shrugs and kicks at the rooftop, looking sheepish.

“Right.” Jason sighs. “I hope this doesn’t last long.”

“Me too. No offence Jason, but you’re kind of short.” Dick says blowing Jason’s bangs out of his eyes.

“Shut up, I hadn’t hit my growth spurt yet.” Jason scoffs, about to say something cutting on how tall Dick _isn’t_ when Dick-in-Jason’s-body’s stomach rumbles. “You wanna eat?”

“Yes.” Dick looks unsure, awkwardly pulling his black sleeveless jacket tighter over his red long sleeved t-shirt. “But shouldn’t I... You know, get home? Won’t your mom be wondering where you are?”

“No.” Jason says, and the realisation that Dick doesn’t know hits him in the gut like a crowbar. _Dick doesn’t know_. He has no clue that tonight is the night that Jason met Bruce for the first time, and that Jason’s just potentially changed _everything_ by whisking Dick-as-Jason away. 

“Are you sure?” Dick stares up at Jason, face crinkling up in confusion. “I don’t want to mess up the timeline. Although the fact we body swapped _and_ time travelled is weird.”

“Do you even know where I live?” Jason says shaking his head, dodging the timeline question.

“Uh... No, actually. Bruce didn’t tell me much, apart from you were at Ma Gunn’s before you went to live with him.” Dick has the decency to look embarrassed. 

“And something about a museum heist? I don’t know, he didn’t really talk about you after you died.”

“Right. On the list of people I don’t want to talk about...” Jason trails off, fighting the urge to take out his bad mood because of Bruce out on Dick.

“Bruce is number two after the Joker? Yeah. I know.” Dick sighs, looking down at his feet before his stomach rumbles again.

“OK, let’s get some food into you; and then head to your place.” Jason says decisively, picking Dick up and swinging him around to ride piggyback as Jason starts jogging to the next roof over.

“Do you even know where I live?” Dick echoes jokingly.

“Technically you’ve got an apartment in New York, but you mostly stay in Titans Tower.” Jason says, jumping between the two buildings easily.

“Oh. Wow. You do.” Dick says, biting back a laugh, and it’s so weird hearing that sound come from Jason’s mouth. “I’m impressed, Jay.”

“That impresses you?” Jason shakes his head in exasperation. “It’s basic knowledge, dude.”

***

After a supper of several chilli dogs for Dick-as-Jason, and pizza for Jason-as-Dick, they finally get to Dick’s mostly unused New York apartment. If Jason thinks it’s odd that Dick’s not pushing for them to go to Bruce, or even another League member, well, he’s hoping it’s that Dick knows just how bad that last argument with Bruce was. That he can tell that Jason’s done, or at least needs a break.

“So...” Dick says, biting his lip while sitting on his sofa frowning at the floor.

“Yeah. This is going to be awkward. Do I need to call Kori and tell her you–I won’t be coming over tonight?” Jason pulls off his-Dick’s gloves and sprawls out on the sofa next to him.

“What’s the date?” Dick flicks on the tv long enough to switch to a news channel and find the date. “No, we aren’t together yet.” 

“Huh.” Jason grunts; propping his boots up on the coffee table, ignoring the side eye that Dick sends him.

“So, not only time travel, but body swapping! Only us, I swear.” Dick throws his now shorter arms up in the air dramatically.

“Actually, I’m pretty sure this is a different universe, not time travel.” Jason says, shrugging.

“Really?” Dick blinks up at Jason, looking painfully young. Jason ignores it.

“Yeah, each universe has a kinda different taste to the air?” Jason says, aware this is not a decent explanation, but not wanting to give any more detail.

“Well, you’re the expert, I guess.” Dick shrugs, flopping back.

“Not much of an expert.” Jason sighs, pulling off his mask. “I wonder why we got body swapped though? Is it because I’m so much taller than you that I got put in the bigger body...”

“No. That is stupid.” Dick scoffs, and Jason smirks when Dick takes the bait of his trolling. “You’re not even that much taller than me! Four inches is not that much.”

“Depends _where_ those four inches are, Dickie.” Jason says, waggling his eyebrows.

“Wow, that was super inappropes now that I’m twelve again!” Dick says, desperately trying to keep a straight face and failing.

“Oh no! I’m now a bad guy. Whatever will I do?” Jason says, throwing his hand up to his forehead and slumping down on the sofa dramatically.

“Practice for your daytime soap audition, apparently?” Dick says dryly, although the smile on his face–Jason’s face is still amused.

“Just getting into character as you.” Jason shrugs. “You think this will last?”

“Damn, I hope not!” Dick shudders; and Jason raises an eyebrow at him. “I mean, Raven told me about a spell that did this once, body swapping... But she said it only ever lasted a couple of hours. So, I don’t know, we could be back to ourselves tomorrow?”

“I really fucking hope so...” Jason sighs, staring up at the ceiling and not at Dick-as-Jason. “Although if we’re gone by tomorrow, how the fuck are the actual occupants of these bodies going to react?”

“Uh...” Dick says intelligently, and Jason can see the idea of the two of them waking up with no idea what happened to them emerge as the horrifying concept it could be to Dick.

“Yeah...” Jason rubs at his face with his hand. “I think I’m gonna write myself a letter. Might help with things. Or not. I can be a contrary little shit when I wanna be.”

“No, really?” Dick snorts, throwing himself back on the sofa with glee. “I’d never noticed that. Nope, totally new information to me.”

“Careful there, Dickie. I could throw you out the window here.” Jason pushes at Dick’s shoulder and watches as Dick tilts all the way over to his side unexpectedly.

“Nah. You won’t. You’re secretly a softie for my pretty eyes.” Dick says, his face half smushed into the sofa cushions.

“Those are my eyes right now, and I’m only as attached to them as biology dictates, fuck you very much.” Jason reaches over and musses up Dick’s–his mop of hair none too gently. 

“Damn, I’m too used to being the pretty one, and fell into old habits. Shame on me.” Dick mutters, lips pursed up.

“You’re a vain little shit.” Jason grins, enjoying Dick’s large pout too much considering it’s on his own face.

“I think I’m going to write a letter too...” Dick shakes his head. “Can’t hurt at least.”

“I think I’ll pin mine to your jacket before you go to sleep... that way twelve year old me can’t miss it.” Jason says, rolling his shoulders.

“Good idea, I’ll do the same.” Dick grins, getting off the sofa to find them pens and paper and pins. “I really hope tomorrow we wake up in our own bodies... And if we don’t, we’ll deal with it.”

***

“Why didn’t it work?” The meta cries out as Jason grabs his wrist and punches his face, hard. “You shouldn’t be here anymore! You should be several universes over!”

“Well, maybe it would’ve lasted if you hadn’t body swapped us too. So, shut the fuck up.” Jason snarls, slamming his head down to the roof while Dick steps in behind him.

“Don’t kill him, Hood.” Dick pulls out a pair of power dampening handcuffs and secures them on the meta’s wrists. “Let’s call the police to pick this guy up, and then go home.”

“Fine.” Jason snaps, dragging the now unconscious meta off the roof to tie him to the streetlight.

“At least we’re back in our own bodies.” Dick says with a warm smile, and Jason has to admit that expression looks much better on his own face than Jason’s younger, borrowed, one. “We can go home and netflix and chill.”

“I wish you wouldn’t call actually netflixing and hanging out that.” Jason says exasperated. “People get the wrong idea. And by people, I mean me. And by wrong idea, I mean I get my hopes up.”

“Aww, Hood.” Dick blows him a kiss, and Jason knows the bastard is batting his eyelashes at him under his mask. “Robin lectured me for ten minutes the other day for misusing that phrase in front of his team. So, I actually meant let’s go home, and you can bend me over the bed in any position you want.”

“Seriously?” Jason blurts out; glad his helmet is covering his expression. (He loves his helmet, he really does.)

“Uh huh.” Dick says with a flirtatious leer. Jason responds by grabbing Dick and throwing him over his shoulder, running to his bike hidden nearby behind a dumpster, to get them home sooner. “Wow, so if I’d said that ages ago, I could have saved myself weeks of failed flirting, huh?”

“You were flirting with me for weeks?” Jason says, dropping Dick down to ride pillion on the bike.

“Yes, thanks for noticing.” Dick says, and the pout is clear on his face when Jason pauses to look at him. “Apparently, I was being too subtle?”

“You really were.” Jason nods; and grins as Dick snorts helplessly, descending into giggles. “Don’t worry, Nightwing, I’ll bang you good though.”

“Such romance. Much suave.” Dick snorts, wrapping his arms around Jason’s shoulders and pulling him down for a kiss. Of course, Jason’s still wearing his helmet, so Dick’s lips land on that giving it a long lingering kiss.

“Dude, not fair.” Jason mutters while Dick’s still pressed up against the metal. “You could at least let me be involved.”

“Take me home, and you can be...” Dick whispers seductively. Jason pulls away and swings his leg over the bike, gunning it. Dick wraps his arms around Jason’s waist and leans his warm body onto Jason’s back. 

 

BACK ON THE OTHER EARTH:

Jason wakes up on a sofa in a strange room with a note saying READ ME in large letters pinned to his jacket. He forces himself not to panic, to not throw himself out of the window, and read the note. He can always throw himself through the glass after reading it, if he has to.

_Jason,_

_I don’t know how much you remember of last night. Hopefully all of it, I guess. But this is an older version of yourself from another dimension... Yeah, that wasn’t a dream._

Jason puffs out the breath he was holding. Memories of last night filter through, of having a person from another dimension joyriding around in his body. Dick. Nightwing. He remembers the feeling of guilt that had weighed heavy on his chest when he’d been looking at Not-Nightwing-Jason. He can still remember some of Dick’s memories of his life in the other dimension too. Which is a really fucking weird sensation.

_If you can remember that, then maybe you remember why staying away from Bruce and Batman is so important. Sure, being Robin was the best thing in my life and I wouldn’t give it up for anything... But I hope maybe you can find another way, a better way. Because Bruce and I can’t be around each other, we’re toxic together. I don’t know, but you’ve got a chance to do things differently. Take it._

_You, but stronger, older and hotter._

Jason drops the letter on top the sofa next to him and rubs his hands over his face.

“Oh, you’re awake...” Dick-Actually-Nightwing-Used-To-Be-Robin says, and Jason looks up at him. He looks tired, and also young. Weirdly young. Jason feels protective of him, even though Dick-Actually-Nightwing-Used-To-Be-Robin has a few years, inches of height, and pounds on him.

“Yeah. I... Remember last night. You?” Jason says, eyes narrowing as Dick tries to smile at him, but it comes off as fake and uncomfortable.

“Yes.” Dick says, smile sliding from his face. His shoulders slump down at the same time. “So, you remember our names? That’s going to be a problem.”

“Why? I ain’t gonna tell.” Jason says, glaring at Dick. He’s no one’s _problem_.

“Because I can’t in good conscience send you back to Gotham to live rough?” Dick says with a tinge of hysteria creeping into his voice. “I’m nineteen! I can’t be your parental figure. I can barely look after myself. And you’re a total stranger. No offence.”

“None taken.” Jason scoffs. “Right back atcha, in fact.”

“Right. Maybe I should ignore that letter. Maybe I should send you to Bruce, anyway...” Dick says, staring at his hands as if the answer is there.

“Look man, if you don’t wanna keep me around, that’s whatever; I don’t care. But I’m not going _there_.” Jason says, eyes hard. “It’s you, or I fuck off back where I came from.”

“OK, OK. No Bruce. I promise.” Dick slumps his shoulders in defeat. “But you can’t stay here.”

“Right.” Jason starts to stand from the sofa, squaring his shoulders and already planning how the hell to get back to Gotham alone.

“We’ll have to go to Titans Tower.” Dick says, reaching out quickly to snag Jason’s sleeve, stopping him from storming off. “I’m sure they’re not going to mind having an extra person around.” 

“Man, that letter really got to you, huh?” Jason says, staring at Dick’s worried and guilty eyes.

“Didn’t yours?” Dick bites his lip and shakes his head. “Look, even with the letters, just because you’re coming to the tower, it doesn’t mean you have to stay there, OK? We’ll figure this out.”

“Yeah. Yeah, OK.” Jason nods, fighting and failing to stop the urge to reach out and rest his hand on the top of Dick’s head. Dick leans into it for a moment, and Jason knows deep down inside that he’s not going anywhere.

***

“Jay, hurry up! You’re going to be late!” Dick yells for the third time that evening.

“Would you calm down? It’s not like it’s a long journey to get downstairs, for fuck’s sake.” Jason sighs, pulling on his black with red fingerstripe gloves, the last part of his Firebird uniform that needs to be put on.

“It’s eight years since you came to live at Titans Tower with us! We want to celebrate!” Dick smiles as Jason finally opens the door to his room and steps out.

“I know how long it’s been.” Jason sighs mournfully. “Sometimes it feels like eighty years...”

“Rude.” Dick grins delightedly. “You love us.”

“Why did I agree to be your partner again?” Jason says with mock exasperation. “I know you’ve got dat ass and those stupidly pretty eyes, but I had to have a better reason, right?”

“Nope, you’re a sucker for my pretty eyes.” Dick laughs, and Jason sighs as Dick kisses his cheek. He catches Dick around the waist and drops a proper lingering kiss to his lips while Dick hums happily.

“You’re pretty and annoying, but you’re still better than Batman.” Jason repeats the oft repeated mantra, and Dick knocks his shoulder as they start walking along the corridor.

“He’s not really that bad. We actually had a nice lunch last week!” Dick says with a soft fond smile.

“Yeah? Good.” Jason throws his arm over Dick’s shoulders, revelling in the fact he’s finally taller than Dick. “But I better get to pin you to the bed tonight for suffering through all this socialising.”

“Oh hell, yes, Jay.” Dick laughs, batting his eyelashes in a leer. “It’s the pinnacle of the celebrations!”


End file.
